The gap may not be closing after all. In fact, it may never close.
The USA destroyed Canada 118-36 in the Gold medal game of the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas tournament, marking the most one-sided victory in the tournament’s history.
The United States has won all eight FIBA U16 Americas championships since 2009 and has an undefeated record of 43-0. The Americans blasted through the 2023 competition with an average margin of victory of 64 points, a 15 point increase from their 48.7 gap in 2021.
Canada scored the first five points of the game, serving as a catalyst for the Americans, who promptly implemented their potent full-court press, started the dunk party, and outscored Canada 45-8 the rest of the first quarter.
This dominant stretch resulted in multiple consecutive possessions where Canada could barely inbound the ball and struggled to get it a cross the half-court line, allowing the Americans to seize a 32-point advantage and establish a commanding 45-13 lead after ten minutes.
Team USA scored another 26 points in the second-quarter to push the lead to 71-23 at halftime. Despite taking off the full court pressure in the second-half, the USA limited Canada to just 13 second-half points, including four third quarter points, the second-lowest in the history of U16 FIBA Americas championships.
Cameron Boozer delivered an outstanding performance, leading the USA team with 24 points on an impressive shooting percentage of 76.9% (10-of-13 field goals). He showcased his versatility on both ends of the court, grabbing 12 rebounds.
Tyran Stokes elevated the excitement with his four thunderous dunks, while Anicet Dybantsa Jr. added two more, contributing 15 and 12 points, respectively. Darryn Peterson made his presence felt with 13 points and six rebounds.
Jayden Quaintance closed the tournament with a double-double, tallying 10 points and 10 rebounds. Koat Peat also made a notable impact, recording 11 points, six rebounds, and four steals, bolstering Team USA’s dominant performance.
In addition to their remarkable individual performances, Team USA treated the crowd of over 4,500 fans to a dazzling display reminiscent of a Harlem Globetrotters game, punctuated by fifteen electrifying dunks.
On the Canadian side, no player reached double figures in scoring. Jordan Charles came off the bench and finished with a team-high 8 points and four rebounds.
Fifteen-year-old Paul Osaruyi, who was named to the All-Star Five team, concluding an eye-opening tournament with 7 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Elijah Patterson added 6 points and two rebounds, while Quinten Ethier chipped in with 5 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Unfortunately, Canadian starting point guard Kamai Samuels had a tough game, managing only four points on 1-of-11 shooting and committing seven turnovers.
Defensively, the USA team showcased their superior physical dominance, recording 16 steals, 9 blocks, and forcing Canada into 32 turnovers. These defensive efforts proved fruitful as they consistently capitalized on Canadian mistakes, converting them into 47 points.
USA scores a staggering 86 paint points
The USA team’s dominance was not limited to the defensive end. They also dominated in the paint, outscoring Canada by a remarkable 86-12 point margin. A significant number of these points were a result of turnovers right under the Canadian basket or from the team’s 31 offensive rebounds, contributing to their considerable 73-37 advantage in total rebounds.
Team Canada struggled with their shooting accuracy throughout the game, shooting at a field goal percentage of 17.8% on 13-of-73 shot attempts. They particularly struggled with their three-point shooting, converting only 3-of-28, (10.7%) of their attempts.
Team USA made 58.9% of their field goal attempts, sinking 43-of-73 shots. They converted 37.5% of their three-point attempts at a reasonable clip, making 9-of-24 shots. At the free-throw line, they shot 74.2%, converting 23-of-31 attempts.
History between the USA vs. Canada at FIBA U16 Americas
The history between the USA and Canada at FIBA U16 Americas has seen varying margins of victory. Prior to this game, the largest margin of victory between the two teams at the championship was 51 points in 2017. Despite two recent losses by Canada under the 20-point mark, there was hope that they could narrow the gap against the Americans.
However, the United States unleashed their most dominant U16 team in history, resulting in a historic 82-point beat down. This victory has significantly widened the average margin of victory between the two teams to 39.4 points, with the USA outscoring Canada 738-462 (+276) in their seven meetings.
| Date | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2023 | USA 118 – Canada 36 | 82 |
| August 28, 2021 | USA 99 – Canada 81 | 18 |
| June 9, 2019 | USA 94 – Canada 77 | 17 |
| June 18, 2017 | USA 111 – Canada 60 | 51 |
| June 14, 2015 | USA 77 – Canada 60 | 17 |
| June 24, 2011 | USA 113 – Canada 70 | 43 |
| June 20, 2009 | USA 126 – Canada 78 | 48 |
Canada concludes the tournament with a successful 5-1 record, including group wins over the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Brazil, and knockout stage victories over host Mexico and Argentina.
Their outstanding performance earned them their fourth silver medal at the FIBA U16 Americas Championships and secured a ticket to the 2024 U17 World Cup in Turkey.
